“Whatungarongaro te tangata, toitū te whenua.” “Just as man disappears from sight, the earth remains.” (Maori proverb)

In the recent past, central Italy has been associated almost exclusively with devastating earthquakes that have altered the landscape of many places, leaving villages and towns still in need of reconstruction. Nature, however, follows a millennia-old path; over the ages, the landscape slowly transforms, following the continuous and unceasing course of both tectonic movements and the seasons, offering us primordial and unspoiled vistas that seem eternal. The very same territory that has seen human settlements rise up can, just a few hundred meters from these homes, hide corners of extraordinary beauty—places where there is literally no trace of human activity, or where only an imperceptible trace remains. The highlands of Abruzzo, the forests straddling the border between Abruzzo and Lazio, the lakes and waterways—some accessible only via often rugged trails—represent the very origins of central Italy. These are places where some may encounter the work of their God, while others may rediscover themselves; places where the cardinal directions lose their meaning and all human logic seems to dissolve into the emotions evoked by their contemplation. What emerges strongly is humanity’s duty to oversee the care of its surroundings, exercising preventive protection against the destructive actions of its fellow humans; otherwise, the price the future holds in store will be the total loss of the opportunity to experience the splendid sensations bestowed upon us by nature. Depicting these landscapes in monochrome is the true challenge of this collection: the elements stand out through the gradation of tones, without earth, water, and sky dominating through color, yet creating a powerful connection among them. The format chosen by the artist—which gives the collection its title—is the golden ratio. The viewpoints presented to the observer are those of a traveler who arrives at the location and directs his gaze—naturally horizontal—toward the spectacle before him, in a near-perfect 144:89 aspect ratio. *Aurum Naturæ* is a series created over a six-year period, from 2014 to 2020, and is conceptually divided into four parts: Sky, Form, Water, Vegetation; the shooting locations—though recognizable in many cases—are not indicated by the artist’s express choice. All images were taken with a full-frame Canon EOS digital camera. The exhibition layout in the Winter Garden features photographs mounted on rigid panels suspended by steel cables using the existing steel structure on the hall’s ceiling. The exhibition will be viewable from the balcony.